If you’ve ever envisioned yourself as the guardian of legal testimony, taking down verbatim testimonies in America’s courtrooms, law offices, and administrative hearings – becoming a court reporter could be the right career for you!
Court reporters work in fast-paced legal, judicial, and corporate environments as guardians of the record who create historical legal documents.
Our guide provides a step-by-step overview of what it takes to become a court reporter in North Dakota.
How to Become a Court Reporter in North Dakota: Step-by-Step
Becoming a certified court reporter working in fast-paced legal environments, including courtrooms and boardrooms across the state, requires a commitment to gaining the right court reporter training and education that puts you on track for national certification and local state Licensure where required.
Aspiring court reporters in North Dakota will need to complete the following steps to jumpstart their court reporter careers.
Complete Your High School Education
The first step toward becoming a North Dakota court reporter is to finish high school.
High school graduates and equivalent certificate holders become eligible to apply to certified court reporter training programs.
Research NCRA-approved Court Reporter Training Programs Online
After you’ve finished high school the next step you’ll want to take is to research NCRA-approved court reporter training programs.
The National Court Reporters Association issues the industry-preferred certification for court reporters practicing nationwide.
They offer a variety of on-campus or online court reporter training programs that lead to the RSR or RPR certification.
Enroll in Court Reporter Training
North Dakota is one of the few states with limited access to industry-approved court reporter training schools.
Local students can seek enrollment with NCRA-approved online programs to earn national certification credentials.
Complete Court Reporter Training Requirements
Court reporter trainees will be required to complete both practical and hands-on training requirements.
Students will need to complete approved programs with a minimum passing score and show proof of completing the required number of immersive training hours for hands-on practice.
Get National Certification from the NCRA
Graduates who have completed all the requirements of their training program become eligible to sit for NCRA certification exams.
Certification exams consist of written question-and-answer testing and typing tests that demonstrate industry-level typing skills at a minimum of 225 words per minute.
Candidates who meet all certification requirements will be awarded the relevant NCRA credential.
Find a Court Reporter Job in North Dakota
After you’ve completed all the steps above you’re officially ready to work as a certified court reporter in North Dakota!
Find a court reporter job through a Google keywords search, checking with local, state, or federal authorities, and visiting the North Dakota Court Reporters Association job board.
Earn Continuing Education Credits to Recertify Your Credentials
All NCRA-certified reporters are required to complete mandatory continuing education credits according to the timeframe specified by the issuing authority.
Visit the continuing education page on the NCRA website to learn more about how to earn continuing education credits and to find out how often you will need to recertify to maintain your credential.
Court Reporter Schools in North Dakota
Students living in North Dakota have somewhat limited access to approved court reporter schools in the state.
There are currently no NCRA-approved programs operating within the state.
The good news is that potential court reporters in ND can opt to take immersive online training courses with approved providers to gain national certification.
The College of Court Reporting is one option for students considering completing their education and training requirements online.
Online students combine real-time video lectures with local offline immersive experiences to complete the education and training requirements assigned by the NCRA.
Following is an NCRA-approved court reporter training program offering online education for local area students.
The College of Court Reporting
The College of Court Reporting offers US-based students without approved NCRA programs in their state the opportunity to get their court reporter training online.
This NCRA-approved school offers a certificate and an Associate’s Degree for career-oriented court reporter trainees in North Dakota.
CCR students can complete court reporter training online in just under three years.
Their comprehensive program teaches students the foundations of law, real-time technology, and critical speed-building skills required to earn NCRA certification.
Courses Offered
- Foundations of Law
- Introduction to Realtime Technology
- Medical Terminology
- NCRA-based Curriculum
- Speed building
- Vocabulary and Usage
Certification Track: NCRA – Registered Skilled Reporter (RSR), Registered Professional Reporter (RPR)
Contact Information
- Address: 455 West Lincolnway, Valparaiso, Indiana – 46385
- Website: http://www.ccr.edu/
- Phone: 866-294-3974
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I Need a License to Work as a Court Reporter in North Dakota?
No.
North Dakota does not require its court reporters to have an occupational license.
Prospective reporters should note that state, government, and federal employers will likely give preference to those with NCRA certification.
How Long Does it Take to Become a Court Reporter in North Dakota?
Most students across the US can complete in-person or online court reporter training programs within two to three years.
NCRA programs typically offer a minimum of a two-year associate’s degree with hands-on training.
Where Can I Find Court Reporter Jobs in North Dakota?
NCRA-certified court reporters in North Dakota can find jobs by visiting job boards on the NCRA website.
You can also find career opportunities within the North Dakota Court System and by keyword searching popular job boards like Google or Indeed.
Court Reporter Salary Information
North Dakota court reporters with national certification credentials and more years of experience in the field can make a hefty salary of up to $95,533.00 per year.
The average annual salary for court reporters in North Dakota falls around $60,082.00.
Entry-level reporters and those on the lower end of the salary scale report bringing home around $29,728.00 each year.
| Item | Percent |
|---|---|
$43K |
|
$60K |
|
$78K |
Average Salary in North Dakota
| City Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| Fargo | $58,705 |
| Bismarck | $61,083 |
| Grand Forks | $56,196 |
| Minot | $60,144 |
| Mandan | $61,083 |
| Dickinson | $60,144 |
| Jamestown | $58,955 |
| West Fargo | $58,705 |
| Williston | $60,144 |
| Wahpeton | $57,766 |
Regional Salary
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fargo, ND-MN | 30 | $64,590 | $31.05 | $74,360 | $55,910 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Court Reporter Programs by State
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
I’ve been researching about this for days and I think I am making the right choice to shift my career to become a court reporter here in ND. Thanks for this!